1. Field of Invention
This invention relates to support for a musical instrument, specifically an electric guitar, when the guitar is not in use during live performances. The stand is designed to attach to an amplification device.
2. Prior Art
Patent documents considered relevant to the present invention (search conducted by Litman Law).
Patent Document No.InventorDes. 270,120McPherson, Sr.US 2008/0028913 AlDriscoll3,765,633Caudill3,958,786Mann4,345,732Gallegos4,546,688Cuccio4,991,809Harkey5,313,866Smith5,346,073Broersma et al.5,350,143 HoshinoForeign Patent Document No.Country & Date609843 (attached)France, August 1926
Internet Documents
Wallacher Amplifier Mount guitar stand, http//www.music123.com/Wallacher-Amplifier-Mount-Guitar Stand-451514-i1142188.Music123, 2 pages printed from the Internet (attached)
Many musicians who play guitars and perform live require a way of supporting their guitars when they are not playing it. They often place their guitars against their amplification device where it often falls or is knocked—possibly harming the instrument. Some musicians carry a stand for their guitar to be used during live performances when they are not playing the guitar. However, the standard guitar stand is unstable, awkward to set up and transport. Often, there is not enough room on the stage to set up guitar stands.
U.S. Pat. No. 3,765,633 to Caudill (1973) allows the guitar and amplification to be rolled simultaneously. However, when the guitar is attached to the amplifier, the bottom of the guitar is on the floor or ground and the finish on the guitar could possibly be harmed. Additionally, the guitar cannot be locked up to prevent someone from taking it off the stand and playing with it.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,345,732 to Gallegos (1982) while allowing for the slight uplifting of the guitar off the floor, has no way to lift differently shaped guitars and no way to lock the instrument to the amplification device.
U.S. Patent DES 270,120 to McPherson, Sr. (1983) attached the guitar to the stand in a way that it could only be used to hold the guitar while not being played. It could not be used to carry the guitar and amplification device simultaneously.
U.S. Patent 2008/0028913A-1 to Driscoll (2008) provides support for the guitar on the amplification device but it is not a permanent support as it is either slid under the supporting handle of the amplification device or slid between two stacked amplification devises by a finger hole at one end. The musician must carry the part as a separate piece of equipment and it could be easily lost. Further, if the stand is slid between two amplification devises, all three pieces could be knocked over and the guitar harmed. Additionally, this device leaves the guitar unlocked and sitting on the floor.
General types of stands have been proposed—for example U.S. Pat. No. 4,546,688 to Cuccio (1985), U.S. Pat. No. 4,991,809 to Harkey (1991), and U.S. Pat. No. 5,313,866 to Smith (1994). All of these devices are detachable devices that are not secure and suffer from a number of disadvantages:
a) They provide no way for the musician to lock their valuable equipment on to the amplification unit.
b) They are detachable devices and not as sturdy as the current invention.
c) The instruments have to sit on the floor or ground when placed in the device.